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Smell ya later, 2011

It’s only December 30th, yet this is my last ever post of 2011. Best to make it count then, right? I didn’t want to write at first; I wanted to record that final episode of the Me(n)tal-Meltdown show which I’ve been promising people, though the written word seems more apt for a moment like this.

A year ago, I looked back on the tidings of 2010 before concluding with what I, as a metalhead, was expecting from 2011.

Looking back at that list, I feel a mental tick going off against each item to confirm that yes, it’s been done but there is still much more to come in 2012.

Judas Priest started their Epitaph world tour as a farewell to the global live circuit, but they’re carrying on into the next year.

Cathedral have had their final live show ever, though they may record and release their last ever album later on.

Moonsorrow, Primordial and a few others have already pushed out new albums, but so will Asphyx, Fukpig, Nekromantheon and Pilgrim to name a few.

There were also a few miracles for the metal world, namely when soon after fans across backgrounds and religions got together to raise awareness of leukemia and organised bone marrow donations, Nergal eventually recovered from his own condition and returned to the metal world with fresh spirit and energy. Love or hate Behemoth, this alone is inspiration enough for anyone and everyone caught in the boughs of suffering.

Yet there were many downs as well, as what comes with each passing year. 2011 saw the end of depressive rockers Lifelover when their founder and guitarist B passed away; the black metal scene lost Jonas aus Slavia (real name: Jonas Raskolnikov Christiansen) amoung others to cancer; Woods of Ypres lost their founder, friend and frontman David Gold in a car accident just this month.

Obviously Seth Putnam’s death has divided people in the grind scene, but this is an issue that’s best left aside for another place, another time.

Now, I can hear some of you out there reading this, saying to yourselves “Ah, c’mon! It wasn’t all death and gloom, Ann! Look at the Black Sabbath reunion for one!” To this, I add, “True, but–”

True, but while there is a reunion of the original line up, again, only time will tell how that will turn out. Bill, Geezer and Ozzy are hardly spring chickens (though Iommi’s said to be in good form), and that they’re not playing a show in the town that helped make them what they are today is rather disappointing.